346 Dr. Murray on the Chemical Constitution of [Nov. 



even without assuming this, it is of importance to find in all 

 these, that the proportions are simple multiples of a first quan- 

 tity. And as the relations of carbon to oxygen and hydrogen, 

 in the composition of the vegetable acids, show the numerous 

 definite proportions in simple multiples in which they combine, 

 so combinations not more numerous may supply the intermediate 

 multiples in the muriatic compounds. 



There is a peculiarity in the muriatic compared with the sul- 

 phuric and nitric compounds. In the latter, there does not 

 exist any binary compound of the radical with oxygen, in which 

 the proportion of the one to the other is the same as the propor- 

 tion in which they exist in the ternary compound which they 

 form with hydrogen. There is, therefore, no oxysulphuric, or 

 oxynitric acid. In hydromuriatic and oxymuriatic acids, the 

 proportion of oxygen to the radical is the same, and there is 

 only in the former an addition of hydrogen. Hence the apparent 

 peculiarity of oxymuriatic acid having an excess of oxygen, and 

 the circumstance, that by an addition of hydrogen it is converted 

 into muriatic acid. This, however, is not absolutely peculiar to 

 it, and presents, therefore, no anomaly. The same thing holds 

 in the relation of carbonic and oxalic acids. In both, the same 

 proportion of oxygen to carbon exists ; the oxalic acid only 

 containing, like the muriatic acid, an addition of hydrogen. 

 Did hydrogen act with the same facility on carbonic acid that 

 it does on oxymuriatic acid, it would convert it into oxalic acid 

 in the same manner that it converts the other into muriatic acid. 

 And were the attraction of carbon to metals and inflammables 

 more powerful than it is, so as to bring it into ternary combina- 

 tion with them with oxygen, or its affinity to hydrogen equally 

 strong with that of the radical of muriatic acid, its action, in 

 apparently imparting oxygen, would probably be equally ener- 

 getic as that of oxymuriatic acid. 



The constitution of the alkalis and earths, which I have con- 

 sidered as ternary compounds of radicals with oxygen and 

 hydrogen, will be found to exhibit, in conformity to this view, a 

 perfect coincidence with the law of proportions. One or two 

 examples will be sufficient for illustration. 



Potassium, in the proportion of 100 with 20*5 of oxygen, 

 constitutes the binary compound denominated dry potash, and 

 which is probably the first degree of oxidation. If, in the 

 ternary compound, which constitutes the alkali in its common 

 state, fused potash as it is named, the additional portion of 

 oxygen is equal to this, or the whole quantity is twice that in 

 the first, conformable to the usual law of proportions, then the 

 quantity of water which will be obtained from the subversion of 

 its composition, and which, according to the common doctrine, 

 is water combined with the alkali, will be 16.from 100 of the 

 fused potash. Now, Berthollet assigned the quantity from 

 experiment at 14, and Sir. H. Davy at from 17 to 19. The mean. 



